Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti45Al5Nb+(0-0.5C) sheets

The possible application of gamma titanium aluminides in aerospace industry requires a detailed understanding of the microstructure-property relationship of sheets made from this material. This paper reports the mechanical properties of sheets up to 1000 degrees C, based on alloy concepts with high Nb concentrations and small additions of C. Sheets were manufactured by rolling powder metallurgical compacts with compositions Ti 45Al 5Nb and Ti 45Al 5Nb 0.5C. The microstructures of both sheets are near gamma and consist of gamma-TiAl and alpha(2)-Ti3Al phases. The texture of both phases is very weak. The strengths levels are very high and that of the C-containing sheet exceeds that of the C-free material at RT by similar to 200 MPa. The mechanical properties of Ti 45Al 5Nb are independent of the direction in the sheet, in the whole temperature range from RT to 1000 degrees C. However, for the C-containing sheet this is true only in the upper temperature range. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.